Geranium plant named ‘Regpet’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Regal  Geranium  plant named ‘Regpet’, characterized by its upright, somewhat outwardly spreading and mounded plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely basal branching habit; early and freely flowering habit; white and purple bi-colored flowers; and no requirement for cooling treatment for flower development.

Botanical designation: Pelargonium grandiflorum.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Regpet’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Regal Geranium plant, botanically known as Pelargonium grandiflorum, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Regpet’.

The new Regal Geranium plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Dresden, Germany. The objective of the breeding program is to develop new Regal Geraniums that do not require a cooling treatment for early flower development.

The new Regal Geranium plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in Dresden, Germany during the summer of 2004 of two unnamed proprietary selections of Pelargonium grandiflorum, not patented. The new Regal Geranium was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Dresden, Germany during the spring of 2005.

Asexual reproduction of the new Regal Geranium plant by vegetative terminal cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Dresden, Germany since October, 2005, has shown that the unique features of this new Regal Geranium plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Regal Geranium have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Regpet’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Regpet’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Regal Geranium:

-   -   1. Upright, somewhat outwardly spreading and mounded plant         habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely basal branching habit.     -   4. Early and freely flowering habit.     -   5. White and purple bi-colored flowers.     -   6. Does not require cooling treatment for flower development.

Plants of the new Regal Geranium differ primarily from plants of the parent selections in flower coloration. In addition, plants of the new Regal Geranium are more uniform than plants of the parent selections.

Plants of the new Regal Geranium can be compared to plants of the Pelargonium grandiflorum ‘Clara Schuhmann’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Dresden, Germany, plants of the new Regal Geranium differed from plants of ‘Clara Schuhmann’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1 . Plants of the new Regal Geranium were more vigorous than         plants of ‘Clara Schuhmann’.     -   2. Plants of the new Regal Geranium had shorter pedicels than         plants of ‘Clara Schuhmann’.     -   3. Plants of the new Regal Geranium and ‘Clara Schuhmann’         differed in flower color as plants of ‘Clara Schuhmann’ had         lower petals with purple-colored markings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Regal Geranium, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Regal Geranium.

The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Regpet’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown in Dresden, Germany in a glass-covered greenhouse during the winter and spring and under conditions which closely approximate commercial Regal Geranium production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 18° C., night temperatures averaged 16° C. and light levels ranged from 15 kilolux to 100 kilolux. Plants were six months from planting when the photograph and the description were taken. In the detailed description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Pelargonium grandiflorum ‘Regpet’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of             Pelargonium grandiflorum, not patented.         -   Male or pollen parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of             Pelargonium grandiflorum, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 18 days at             temperatures of 20° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 22 days at             temperatures of 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer and             winter.—About 30 days at temperatures of 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant/growth habit.—Upright, somewhat outwardly spreading             and mounded plant habit; inverted triangle; densely             foliated. Vigorous growth habit. Freely basal branching             habit with about seven lateral branches developing per             plant.         -   Plant height, to top of umbels.—About 33 cm.         -   Plant height, to top of leaves.—About 25 cm.         -   Plant width.—About 35 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 10 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm.             Internode length: About 1 cm to 2 cm. Texture: Pubescent.             Color: Close to 144A. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate or opposite; simple.         -   Length.—About 5 cm.         -   Width.—About 7 cm.         -   Shape.—Cordate; palmately lobed.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Cordate, open.         -   Margin.—Serrate to biserrate.         -   Venation pattern.—Palmate.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Sparsely pubescent;             leathery.         -   Color.—Developing and fully expanded foliage, upper surface:             Close to 137C; venation, close to 137C. Developing and fully             expanded foliage, lower surface: Close to 146B; venation,             close to 144B. Zonation pattern: Not discernible. Petiole:             Length: About 4 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Slightly pubescent. Color, upper and lower             surfaces: Close to 144A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement.—Single rotate flowers arranged in             inversely conical umbels arising from apical leaf axils.             Umbels displayed above the foliage on strong peduncles.             Flowers face upright to outward.         -   Fragrance.—Not detected.         -   Quantity of flowers.—Freely flowering habit; about four to             six flowers per umbel.         -   Flowering season.—In Dresden, Germany, flowering initiates             in the spring and continues into the summer. Plants do not             require a cooling treatment for flower development.         -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about two weeks on             the plant; flowers not persistent.         -   Umbel height.—About 6 cm.         -   Umbel diameter.—About 10 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 6 cm.         -   Flower depth (height).—About 2 cm to 3 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.5 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm.             Shape: Roughly elliptical. Color: Close to 146B.         -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: Five or six; petals imbricate.             Length, upper and lower petals: About 3 cm. Width, upper             petals: About 3 cm. Width, lower petals: About 2 cm. Shape:             Obovate. Apex: Rounded. Base: Cuneate to attenuate. Margin:             Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous;             satiny. Color, upper petals: When opening and fully opened,             upper surface: Central markings, close to 187A surrounded             with close to 70A; towards the margin, close to 155D;             venation, close to 70A. Color becoming closer to 70D with             development. When opening and fully opened, lower surface:             Close to 70A; towards the margin, close to 155D; venation,             close to 70A. Color, lower petals: When opening and fully             opened, upper surface: Close to 155D; venation, close to             155D. When opening and fully opened, lower surface: Close to             155D; venation, close to 155D.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Five to six, arranged in a             single whorl. Length: About 1.5 cm. Width: About 4 mm.             Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper and lower             surfaces: Close to 146B.         -   Peduncle (umbel stem).—Length: About 5 cm. Diameter: About             2 mm. Strength: Strong. Angle: Mostly erect to slightly             outwardly slanted. Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to 146A.         -   Pedicel (individual flower stem).—Length: About 2 cm.             Diameter: About 2 mm. Strength: Strong; flexible. Texture:             Pubescent. Color: Close to 146B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity per flower:             About eight. Anther length: About 2 mm. Anther shape:             Tubular. Anther color: Close to 72A. Pollen amount:             Abundant. Pollen color: Close to 171A. Gynoecium: Pistil             quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About 1.7 cm.             Stigma shape: Five-parted. Stigma color: Close to 59A. Style             length: About 9 mm. Style color: Close to 61C. Ovary color:             Close to 147C. Seeds: Length: About 2 mm to 3 mm. Diameter:             About 1 mm. Shape: Elliptical. Color: Close to 200A. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Regal Geranium have not     been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Regal     Geraniums. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Regal Geranium have been     observed to tolerate temperatures ranging from about 1° C. to about     35° C. to 40° C. 

1. A new and distinct Regal Geranium plant named ‘Regpet’ as illustrated and described. 